SNOW IN WEST TEXAS

Today is one of those rare times when I feel like I have all the hours I want to lazy around, and do what I want.  It snowed and sleeted today, so I just got my camera and went out to see what was happening.  I know the kids are praying for more snow, and hoping that school will start late, or there will no school at all.  I just don't think that will happen in Andrews America, at least I hope not.  Here is what the snow looked like on one of the Spanish bayonet plants that thrives out here in the desert. 

In spite of all the laziness that I feel, I must get to work on tomorrow's lessons and get done what I could not do yesterday.  Have a good week, and remember that God is in charge.

Just a quick blog before I hit the hay.  My dear friend, Jackie Hahn, came over last Saturday, and I made her a black fur vest.  Just what she needs for Lady Raider basketball games.  So, here she is in Andrews, Texas out in front of Buddy's Drive In, which is famous for their steak fingers.

The vest has a red lining, so it will go with Texas Tech colors.

And, if you don't already know it--Lamesa gals do love to doll up.  Jackie's fingernails prove it.  I am jealous, of course, because I can't grow fingernails like this.

I finally finished my vest (after I finished Jackie's) and wore it to school.  Mrs. Franco took this picture in her room.  She teaches Spanish, and let the kids decorate the bulletin board last fall for Dia de los Muertos!

I ended up cutting about 6 inches off the bottom before I was happy with it. I couldn't believe how comfortable it was--not  too hot and not cold.  Sewing, blogging, exercising, and all the fun stuff is hard to work in now that we have started a new semester. 

"Sometimes I feel so uninspired."  These lyrics from a song by Traffic describe me this fall, and I just don't know why I have been in such a blah mood.  Anyway, I shall try to get back in the game of life with a few pictures.  I finally did a vest out of crocheted doilies--easy to do if you can find the stuff.  The big piece in back came from an antique store in Abilene called Rust and Roses (very interesting), and the two front pieces are ones I made back when I could get something done.  I tea dyed them so they would be almost the same color.

Then I decided to make up a piece of fake fur I got in Wal Mart a couple of years ago (I don't get in any hurry).  The hair is pretty thick so I cut all I could out of the seam allowances.  That was fun!

Those Gingher  applique scissors worked nicely for the trim.

Then I pulled all that hair back away from the seam when I sewed the pieces together, and seam hardly shows (scissors are pointing to the seam).

It is nearly done.  I will cut about 4 inches off the bottom, because it just doesn't "feel right" the way it is now. 
Now, about food.  We had Christmas dinner at our house, for part of the dessert I made banana pudding--Nannie's Banana Pudding.  My mother-in-law rarely measured anything, so she had no recipes for these old time favorites.  I got her to make a batch of banana pudding and we measured as she went.
7 cups milk
1 cup canned milk
4 whole eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 C sugar
1 heaping tsp. flour for each cup of milk, which amounted to a little less than 2/3 C flour
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
butter

Blend the sugar and flour and add the milk.
Beat the eggs until blended nicely and add them to the milk, and cook until thickened.
Add the vanilla and butter.
Pour over the vanilla wafers and the sliced bananas.
Put some wafers on top.   These wafers in the pudding thicken it so don't cook the pudding until is is "stiff".

I used too many wafers, so cut back when you make it (and I don't know why the dumb thing is sideways).  I am going to change the recipe just a little.  Instead of whole eggs, I am going to use about 6 egg yolks.
Some folks say they are book snobs, and one of my friends says she is a sheet snob, but me--I am a "nanner puddin' snob."  If I can't have the cooked from scratch, old fashion pudding,  just give me the banana and a cookie!

And then there is my little helper, who keeps me and Papaw entertained.

He had fun getting into things at our house.

LOVE THOSE LAMESA GALS!



Last Saturday I had a "Girls' Day Out" with six women from Lamesa.  It had been so long since I had done something as frivolous as going shopping,  that I was in culture shock for at least an hour. 

I met the ladies at Jackie's house, and we headed out to Post. 

Two of the gals were in the back seat talking non-stop about all the stuff they had bought, and then one pipes up and says, "Who is the best hair dresser in Lamesa?"  That's when I realized that I had come to a new world--the world of Lamesa.  Lamesa has a culture all its own--one that I dearly love and miss so much.  I had so much fun in Lamesa when I taught ten miles down the road.  I just love their glitz!  The ladies doll up more in Lamesa, Texas, than anywhere in the world.  They get their nails done whether they need it or not. 

These ladies know how to shop and they do it on a regular basis--purses, shoes, clothes.  You name it they have it.

We had a fabulous time looking, eating, looking, buying.  I found a neat bookstore at the end of the tour, and was  talking to a country lawyer, ex-district attorney, turned author when they called and said, "Time was up.  We are heading to Rag Town Theater."  I had to leave the author, without a book or pictures.  I was all set to take a picture of the resident Siamese cat, when she jumped down, and I didn't have time to make her pose (against her will) for a picture to go with the story. 

Here we are with friends from Post from left to right starting with the front row:

Maria Aguirre, Dorothy Evans, Rosie.  Back row:  Pam Vogler, Jackie Hahn, Jackie Calhoun, Janelise Bowman, Carol and Wayne McDonald.  We met Carol and Wayne at the restaurant, and then went to see them perform in Bethlehem at Rag Town Theater. 

After last Saturday, I realized that my life has dwindled into a very boring routine--go to school, stay after school, go home and do it all over again, day after day.  I am resolved to go back to Post  with the crew and take care of unfinished business; so that cat had better be ready to cooperate because here I come!





Fashionistas at AHS

Boots!  Boots with skirts and dresses are the thing here at AHS.

Some guys like the boots from the South, South of the Border, that is.

Some of these Mexican boots are really fancy.

The kid that owned these boots says they portray his life.  He's into rodeo, which is one big gamble.

Hope his rodeo life is as good as the hand on his boots. 

Anyway, the four aces are made by a boot company called Tin Haul out of Las Vegas.  So, Cowboy, if you really want to dress up, check it out on line.

Homecoming was a parade of fashion!

Lots of fancy mums. 

The bigger the better.  One mum I saw was so big it had to have a strap around the neck for support.

Belts are glitzy with lots of shiny stones of all colors.

Shiny, and colorful stones are everywhere, including purses.

And then there are feathers in your hair that are attached with some sort of clip so they stay put, and you just shampoo them with the rest of your locks. 

Honestly, I am not sure what the rest of the world is doing as far as fashion--but here where I reside--gaudy is good! 

Hope y'all have a blessed Thanksgiving! 

Entertaining Papaw

Bob was so amazed at how fast Rhys could scamper up the slide.  He said, "He just climbed up that slide like a little monkey, and I held my hand out, and he took hold of it and climbed the rest of the way up!"

Feet first, Rhys!

Down you go!

Now, turn around, and do it all over it again.  And, so it goes with grandparents as babysitters!  We never tire of games the babes want to play, and are just so amazed and delighted with their antics.

We miss you and love you Rhys!

Three Boys Shopping

You know that shopping is not exactly a man's delight, but Marina and I managed to get these three in  DSW in Lubbock.  Inside the store  were chairs for people who were tired of shoe shopping (how can that be?).

Rhys found his monkey/leash, so Marina put it on him.  He loves it!  I think it gives him a sense of freedom or something.  So he enjoyed the shopping immensleym especially when a three year old boy came along and wanted the reins.  Bob actually found a pair of shoes, and then we wrapped up our shopping.  Here are the guys walking to the car (111 degrees), and little Rhys is helping all he can.

Watch your step (little boy is still holding on to the bag)!

Grandbabies are just grand.

And they make grandparents so proud, fill our hearts to the brim with joy, and we just love all the cute things they do.  Rhys, you are just so fun.  Just look at you--I kneeled down to get a better picture, and so you did the same.

Thank you Robert and Marina; you are doing a great job.

Bob, Rosie, and Rhys outside Lujan's Restaurant, Lubbock, Texas on June 26, 2011.